ESTEVAN — The Estevan Wildlife Federation (EWF) wrapped up its annual conservation camp at Boundary Dam on Saturday. The three-day camp, held from Aug. 8 to 10, provided youths aged 11-15 with hands-on experiences in outdoor skills, wildlife education and environmental conservation.
Tija Donovan, the camp organizer, noted the camp's success. This year's camp reached capacity with 42 campers, supported by over 40 volunteers, many of whom were former campers themselves.
"This is our 25th year of our camp, so it's a pretty big deal," Donovan shared, emphasizing the camp's legacy and the community's ongoing support.
The kids had a chance to practise lure-making, spearfishing at the beach – which was new this year – and fishing on pontoon boats, catching nine walleye in the process, Donovan said. They also had a couple of night games and learned how to start a fire, cook bannock, fillet a fish and more.
Participants engaged in various activities designed to instill a love for the outdoors and teach valuable survival skills. These included blood trailing and calling for various animals like moose and elk, canoeing, digital wildlife photography, and axe and knife throwing, among other activities.
"We had groups down [on the water] and a couple of our counsellors and volunteers on Sea-Doos. We go out there and we teach the kids, when you tip a canoe, how to rescue it," Donovan said. "We try to tip all the kids, just so that if they are out canoeing, they know how to rescue a canoe – you pull it up and make a little cross, then you flip it over and put it back in the water."
The camp also featured special presentations, such as the Sask. Trappers Association's talk, as well as knot-tying and basic first aid by the emergency response team from Westmoreland Mining LLC, and an educational session on aquatic invasive species.
"They teach about the invasive species that we're seeing increase in Canada. A big concern is zebra mussels. They're microscopic, and they go on people's boats. If you don't clean, drain and dry your boat, they'll transport from lake to lake to lake. And they completely ruin the aquatic atmosphere," Donovan highlighted, noting that participants had a chance to learn more about the mussels and how to prevent the spread.
"And then we have what's called the Mike Hike. Mike passed away in 2017, but we have Millennium Land [environmental consultant] come out now, and they take the kids all through the grasslands and just talk about the different kinds of plants, everything that we have growing in Saskatchewan, and all the basic survival that you can learn out there," she added.
Saturday, the final day of the camp, was dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship.
"Saturday is our big gun day," Donovan said. "Kids go for handguns, 22's, muzzleloaders, paintball, archery and trap shooting, or shotgun shooting."
She noted that the EWF's conservation camp continues to play a significant role in educating the next generation about wildlife conservation and outdoor safety, ensuring that these traditions and skills are passed down for years to come.
"If anyone wants to come out, check it out and see what it's all about, you're more than welcome to come down," Donovan said. "And a big thank you to Woodlawn for putting up with all of us back here during the camp."
